pike killifish (belonesox belizanus€¦ · “the species is native to the atlantic slope from...
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Pike Killifish (Belonesox belizanus) Ecological Risk Screening Summary
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, February 2011 Revised, February 2018
Web Version, 8/30/2018
Photo: USGS. Available: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=843.
(February 2018).
1 Native Range and Status in the United States Native Range From Schofield et al. (2018):
“The species is native to the Atlantic slope from Veracruz, Mexico south to the Yucatan,
Guatemala and Belize, the Atlantic drainages of Honduras and Guatemala, and to Costa Rica
(Rosen and Bailey 1963; Reis et al. 2003; Miller et al. 2005).”
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From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“North and Central America: Laguna San Julian, northeast of Ciudad Veracruz in Mexico to
Costa Rica. Southern Gulf of Mexico, southern Yucatan and along Central American coast south
to Nicaragua [Smith 1997]. Introduced in freshwater in Florida [Smith 1997].”
Status in the United States From Schofield et al. (2018):
“This species was first documented in Florida in canals in southeastern Dade County in 1957
(Belshe 1961). It is now established or has been taken in canals, ditches, mangrove swamps, and
other habitats in Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties, including parts of Everglades National
Park and Big Cypress National Preserve (Belshe 1961; Courtenay et al. 1974; Miley 1978;
Turner and Snelson 1984; Loftus and Kushlan 1987; Loftus et al. 2004; Lorenz et al. 1997;
museum specimens). Established in Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS 2011). A
separate population was found in a borrow pit on North Key Largo, Monroe County, Florida, in
1984 (Courtenay and Meffe 1989). A few specimens were taken from a roadside ditch in
Hillsborough County, Florida, in 1997 (Nico, unpublished data), and from the Alafia and
Hillsborough rivers (D. Roberts, personal communication). A population was found in Texas in a
spring run of the San Antonio River, San Antonio, in the early 1960s (Barron 1964), but that
population apparently has died out (Hubbs et al. 1978; Howells 1992).”
This species is present in the aquarium trade in the United States. For example:
From AquariumFishSale.com (2018):
“Saber Toothed Killi
34.99 […]
Scientific Name: Belonesox belizanus”
Means of Introductions in the United States From Schofield et al. (2018):
“This species was introduced into south Florida in 1957 when individuals reared for medical
research purposes were released into a local canal (Belshe 1961). Those found in Hillsborough
County in 1997 were escapees from a nearby ornamental fish farm (Nico, personal
communication). The Texas introduction was probably an aquarium release (Howells 1992).”
Remarks From Schofield et al. (2018):
“The Florida population is descended from stock that is thought to have come from the Yucatan
peninsula (Belshe 1961); it is the subspecies B. b. maxillosus (Rosen and Bailey 1963; Page and
Burr 1991).”
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2 Biology and Ecology Taxonomic Hierarchy and Taxonomic Standing From ITIS (2018):
“Kingdom Animalia
Subkingdom Bilateria
Infrakingdom Deuterostomia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Infraphylum Gnathostomata
Superclass Actinopterygii
Class Teleostei
Superorder Acanthopterygii
Order Cyprinodontiformes
Suborder Cyprinodontoidei
Family Poeciliidae
Subfamily Poeciliinae
Genus Belonesox
Species Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860”
“Taxonomic Status: valid”
Size, Weight, and Age Range From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Max length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; [Lucinda 2003]; 15.0 cm TL (female); common length:
9.6 cm TL male/unsexed; [Hugg 1996]”
Environment From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 9 - 19; non-migratory.”
From Schofield et al. (2018):
“In Florida, reproduction has been recorded in salinities up to at least 35 parts per thousand
(Turner and Snelson 1984). Northward expansion of B. belizanus is likely limited by the lower
limit of cold temperature tolerance ~9°C (Shafland and Pestrak 1982), but local densities are
probably controlled by a variety of physiochemical variables (Kerfoot et al. 2011) and
predation.”
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Climate/Range From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Tropical; 25°C - 37°C [Bussing 1998]; 29°N - 11°N, 100°W - 79°W [Florida Museum of
Natural History 2005]”
Distribution Outside the United States Native From Schofield et al. (2018):
“The species is native to the Atlantic slope from Veracruz, Mexico south to the Yucatan,
Guatemala and Belize, the Atlantic drainages of Honduras and Guatemala, and to Costa Rica
(Rosen and Bailey 1963; Reis et al. 2003; Miller et al. 2005).”
From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“North and Central America: Laguna San Julian, northeast of Ciudad Veracruz in Mexico to
Costa Rica. Southern Gulf of Mexico, southern Yucatan and along Central American coast south
to Nicaragua [Smith 1997]. Introduced in freshwater in Florida [Smith 1997].”
Introduced
This species has not been reported as introduced outside of the United States.
Means of Introduction Outside the United States This species has not been reported as introduced outside of the United States.
Short Description From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Slender, elongate fish with elongate jaws forming a prominent pointed beak. Scales very small
and numerous [Smith 1997].”
Biology From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Occurs in weedy canals and tolerates poorly oxygenated waters and salinity to 40 ppt.
Occurrence in saline (34-37 ppt.) water in Florida seems to be a case of local acclimatization.
Formerly used in medical research. Total length 14 cm [Smith 1997]. Mostly freshwater,
sometimes brackish [Smith 1997]. Piscivore [Hassan-Williams et al. 2007].”
From Schofield et al. (2018):
“Most females larger than 75 mm SL and males larger than 55 mm SL are sexually mature.
Average brood size is approximately 99, and larger females tend to have larger broods (up to
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about 320). In south Florida, reproduction continues year-round, and females are able to store
viable sperm for several months […] The young are remarkably precocial; within one day of
their birth, they pursue, capture, and eat prey. Adults are primarily piscivorous, and in south
Florida eat mosquitofish, mollies, and other pike killifishes as their primary diet (Turner and
Snelson 1984).”
Human Uses From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Aquarium: commercial”
Diseases From CABI (2018):
“B. belizanus has been found to host the parasites Ascocotyle leighi (Trematoda) (Hoffman,
1967) and Salsuginus neotropicalis (Mendoza-Franco and Vidal-Martínez, 2001).”
Threat to Humans From Froese and Pauly (2018):
“Harmless”
3 Impacts of Introductions From Schofield et al. (2018):
“The pike killifish is a piscivore that has been reported to reduce populations of eastern
mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki and other native poeciliid and cyprinodontoid populations in
areas where it has been introduced (Belshe 1961; Courtenay and Meffe 1989; Greenwood 2012),
and potentially competing for food resources with juvenile snook. Harms and Turingan (2012)
found that pike killifish will consume shrimp in addition to fish, and suggest that this dietary
flexibility has contributed to invasion success in south Florida.”
From CABI (2018):
“B. belizanus is a piscivore that has been reported to reduce populations of Gambusia holbrooki
and other native poeciliid and cyprinodontoid populations, and [sic] well as decapod crustaceans
(Belshe 1961; Greenwood 2012; Harms and Turingan, 2012; Texas State University 2014).”
“Hensley and Courtenay (1980) considered B. belizanus to be in trophic competition with native
piscivores Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) and Lepomis gulosus (warmouth). Miley
(1978) found an 84% dietary overlap between B. belizanus and the Florida largemouth bass,
Micropterus floridanus, with the predominant diet taxa consisting of fish and decapod
crustaceans.”
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“In Tampa Bay, Florida, three resident nonmigratory or potamodromous small-bodied species
(Poecilia latipinna, Gambusia holbrooki and Cyprinodon variegatus) were 2-6 times less
abundant or frequently occurring in the presence of, or after invasion by, B. belizanus. However,
migratory species showed little evidence of negative effects, most probably because these
species recruit from larger source populations and are not year-round residents of B. belizanus
habitat (Greenwood, 2012).”
“B. belizanus seriously impairs the natural control of mosquitoes in southern Florida by preying
on Gambusia sp. and other native poeciliids and cyprinodontoid fishes that would otherwise eat
mosquito larvae and pupae (Belshe, 1961; Greenwood, 2012; Texas State University, 2014).”
“However, due the temperature restrictions of suitable habitat in northern Florida and elsewhere
in the USA, it is reasonable to conclude that B. belizanus may remain restricted to southern
Florida. Given these inconsistencies, certainty of this assessment is medium.”
“Although a number of studies have considered the potential environmental impacts of
introduced populations of B. belizanus, the specific mechanisms and/or ecological impacts need
to be more closely examined.”
4 Global Distribution
Figure 1. Known global occurrences of Belonesox belizanus, reported from the United States,
Mexico, and several countries in Central America. Map from GBIF Secretariat (2017).
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5 Distribution Within the United States
Figure 2. Distribution map of Belonesox belizanus within the contiguous United States.
Established populations (found only in Florida) are represented by yellow diamonds and were
included in the climate match analysis. Other known occurrences are represented by orange
diamonds and were omitted in the climate match analysis. Map from Schofield et al. (2018).
6 Climate Matching Summary of Climate Matching Analysis The climate match (Sanders et al. 2014; 16 climate variables; Euclidean distance) was medium
for the contiguous United States, with a Climate 6 score of 0.024. Scores of 0.005 to 0.103
indicate a medium climate match. Climate match was highest in Florida and a small portion of
southern Georgia. South Carolina and Texas represent a medium match, while all other locations
within the contiguous United States are low.
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Figure 3. RAMP (Sanders et al. 2014) source map showing weather stations in Florida and
Central America selected as source locations (red; Florida (U.S.), Mexico, Belize, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica) and non-source locations (gray) for B. belizanus climate
matching.
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Figure 4. Map of RAMP (Sanders et al. 2014) climate matches for Belonesox belizanus in the
contiguous United States based on source locations reported by GBIF Secretariat (2017).
0=Lowest match, 10=Highest match. Counts of climate match scores are tabulated on the left.
The “High”, “Medium”, and “Low” climate match categories are based on the following table:
Climate 6: Proportion of
(Sum of Climate Scores 6-10) / (Sum of total Climate Scores)
Climate Match
Category
0.000<X<0.005 Low
0.005<X<0.103 Medium
≥0.103 High
7 Certainty of Assessment A considerable amount of information on the biology, ecology, and distribution of Belonesox
belizanus is available for review. Historically, this species was introduced and established in
Texas and Florida. Today, the Texas population is extirpated, while several populations still
thrive within Florida. While their presence has had negative impacts in Florida, “the specific
mechanisms and/or ecological impacts need to be more closely examined” (CABI 2018). Also,
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environmental tolerances may limit spread of B. belizanus beyond Florida. Given all factors, the
certainty of assessment is medium.
8 Risk Assessment Summary of Risk to the Contiguous United States Belonesox belizanus, commonly known as the pike killifish, is a freshwater species native to
Central America. This piscivorous species prefers the surface waters of slow-flowing freshwater
systems where it can feed on poeciliid and cyprinodontoid populations, but is euryhaline and can
thrive in brackish environments. Introductions into south Florida waters included specimens
released from medical research facilities, escapees from aquaculture farms, and aquarium
releases. B. belizanus now thrives in several water systems within southern Florida. These
populations have negatively impacted native poeciliid and cyprinodontoid abundances, which
has also seriously impaired the natural control of mosquitoes in southern Florida. Climate match
within the contiguous United States was medium, with Florida and southern Georgia
representing high match areas. However, “due to the temperature restrictions of suitable habitat
in northern Florida and elsewhere in the USA, it is reasonable to conclude that B. belizanus may
remain restricted to southern Florida” (CABI 2018). Given the history of negative impacts of
introduction and the medium overall climate match to the contiguous United States, the overall
risk assessment category for B. belizanus is high.
Assessment Elements History of Invasiveness (Sec. 3): High
Climate Match (Sec. 6): Medium
Certainty of Assessment (Sec. 7): Medium
Remarks/Important additional information: Carrier of Ascocotyle leighi and
Salsuginus neotropicalis.
Overall Risk Assessment Category: High
9 References Note: The following references were accessed for this ERSS. References cited within quoted
text but not accessed are included below in Section 10.
AquariumFishSale.com. 2018. Saber toothed killi. AquariumFish, Reno, Nevada. Available:
https://www.aquariumfishsale.com/products/saber-toothed-killi. (August 2018).
CABI. 2018. Belonesox belizanus [original text by M. Madden]. In Invasive Species
Compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. Available:
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/91274. (February 2018).
Froese, R., and D. Pauly, editors. 2018. Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860. FishBase. Available:
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Belonesox-belizanus.html. (February 2018).
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GBIF Secretariat. 2017. GBIF backbone taxonomy: Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860. Available:
https://www.gbif.org/species/2350149. (February 2018).
ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). 2018. Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System, Reston, Virginia. Available:
https://itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=165913#n
ull. (February 2018).
Sanders, S., C. Castiglione, and M. H. Hoff. 2014. Risk Assessment Mapping Program: RAMP.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Schofield, P. J., L. Nico, and M. Neilson. 2018. Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860. U.S.
Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, Florida.
Available: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=843. (February
2018).
10 References Quoted But Not Accessed Note: The following references are cited within quoted text within this ERSS, but were not
accessed for its preparation. They are included here to provide the reader with more
information.
Barron, J. L. 1964. Reproduction and apparent over-winter survival of the sucker-mouth
armoured catfish, Plecostomus sp., in the headwaters of the San Antonio River. Texas
Journal of Science 16:449.
Belshe, J. F. 1961. Observations of an introduced tropical fish (Belonesox belizanus) in southern
Florida. Master's thesis. University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
Bussing, W. A. 1998. Freshwater fishes of Costa Rica, second edition. Editorial de la
Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., and G .K. Meffe. 1989. Small fishes in strange places: a review of
introduced poeciliids. Pages 319-331 in G. K. Meffe, and F. F. Snelson, Jr., editors.
Ecology and evolution of livebearing fishes (Poeciliidae). Prentice Hall, Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., H. F. Sahlman, W. W. Miley, II, and D. J. Herrema. 1974. Exotic fishes in
fresh and brackish waters of Florida. Biological Conservation 6:292-302.
Florida Museum of Natural History. 2005. Biological profiles: pike killifish. Ichthyology at the
Florida Museum of Natural History: Education-Biological Profiles. FLMNH, University
of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Available:
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/PikeKillifish/PikeKillifish.html. (August 2005).
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Greenwood, M. F. D. 2012. Assessing effects of the nonindigenous pike killifish on indigenous
fishes in Tampa Bay, Florida, using a weighted-evidence approach. Transactions of the
American Fisheries Society 141:84-99.
Harms, C. A., and R. G. Turingan. 2012. Dietary flexibility despite behavioral stereotypy
contributes to successful invasion of the pike killifish, Belonesox belizanus, in Florida,
USA. Aquatic Invasions 7(4):547-553.
Hassan-Williams, C., T. H. Bonner and C. Thomas (photographer). 2007. Texas freshwater
fishes. Biology Department/ Aquatic Station, Texas State University-San Marcos, Texas.
Hensley D. A., and W. R. Courtenay. 1980. Belonesox belizanus (Kner) Pike Killifish. In D. S.
Lee, editors. Atlas of North American Freshwater fishes. North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Hoffman G. L. 1967. Parasites of North American freshwater fishes. University of California
Press, Berkeley, California.
Howells, R. G. 1992. Annotated list of introduced non-native fishes, mollusks, crustaceans and
aquatic plants in Texas waters. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Management Data
Series 78, Austin, Texas.
Hubbs, C., T. Lucier, G. P. Garrett, R. J. Edwards, S. M. Dean, E. Marsh, and D. Belk. 1978.
Survival and abundance of introduced fishes near San Antonio, Texas. Texas Journal of
Science 30:369-376.
Hugg, D. O. 1996. MAPFISH georeferenced mapping database. Freshwater and estuarine fishes
of North America. Life Science Software, Edgewater, Maryland.
Kerfoot, J. R. Jr., J. J. Lorenz, and R. G. Turingan. 2011. Environmental correlates of the
abundance and distribution of Belonesox belizanus in a novel environment.
Environmental Biology of Fishes 92:125-139.
Loftus, W. F., and J. A. Kushlan. 1987. Freshwater fishes of southern Florida. Bulletin of the
Florida State Museum of Biological Science 31:147-344.
Loftus, W. F., G. Ellis, M. Zokan, and J. Lorenz. 2004. Inventory of freshwater fish species
within the Big Cypress National Preserve: the basis for a long-term sampling program.
U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet 2004-3131.
Lorenz, J. J., C. C. McIvor, G. V. N. Powell, and P. C. Frederich. 1997. A drop net and
removable walkway for sampling fishes over wetland surfaces. Wetlands 17:346-359.
Lucinda, P. H. F. 2003. Poeciliidae (livebearers). Pages 555-581 in R. E. Reis, S. O. Kullander,
and C. J. Ferraris, Jr., editors. Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central
America. EDIPUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Mendoza-Franco, E. F., V. M. Vidal-Martínez. 2001. Salsuginus neotropicalis n. sp.
(Monogenea: Ancyrocephalinae) from the pike killifish Belonesox belizanus
(Atheriniformes: Poeciliidae) from southeastern Mexico. Systematic Parasitology
48(1):41-45.
Miley, W. W. 1978. Ecological impact of the pike killifish, Belonesox belizanus Kner
(Poeciliidae), in southern Florida. Master's thesis. Florida Atlantic University, Boca
Raton, Florida.
Miller, R. R., W. L. Minckley, and S. M. Norris. 2005. Freshwater fishes of Mexico. The
University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of
Mexico. The Peterson Field Guide Series, volume 42. Houghton Mifflin Company,
Boston.
Reis, R. E., S. O. Kullander, and C. J. Ferrais, Jr. 2003. Check list of the freshwater fishes of
South and Central America. Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia, Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. EDIPUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Rosen, D. E., and R. M. Bailey. 1963. The poeciliid fishes (Cyprinodontiformes), their structure,
zoogeography, and systematics. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History
126:1-176.
Shafland, P. L., and J. M. Pestrak. 1982. Lower lethal temperatures for fourteen non-native fishes
in Florida. Environmental Biology of Fishes 7(2):149-156.
Smith, C. L. 1997. National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the
Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc., New York.
Texas State University. 2014. Belonesox belizanus pike killifish. Texas State University, Texas.
Available: http://txstate.fishesoftexas.org/belonesox%20belizanus.htm. (December 2014).
Turner, J. S., and F. F. Snelson, Jr. 1984. Population structure, reproduction and laboratory
behavior of the introduced Belonesox belizanus (Poeciliidae) in Florida. Environmental
Biology of Fishes 10:89-100.
USFWS. 2011. U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Survey
Information. Available: http://www.nwrinvasives.com/index.asp. (July 2011).
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